The story starts not in a Silicon Valley garage, but in a double-wide trailer in Tennessee.
That’s the origin story of David Lee Saylor, a man who didn’t just build a business empire—he built it on a strategic principle so simple, so obvious, yet so often ignored by the coastal elite, it’s almost insulting.
It’s called GEOGRAPHIC ARBITRAGE.
Saylor, the founder behind a portfolio of brands including ALTRD, MOTION, and the massive retail operation CBD Plus USA (run by his wife, Haley), didn’t move to the high-cost, high-competition hubs. He stayed put. He leveraged the low overhead, the deep talent pool, and the sheer, unadulterated focus that comes from operating outside the noise.
“Everyone told me I had to be in LA or Miami to build a content machine,” Saylor said in a recent (hypothetical) interview. “They said, ‘You need the energy, the connections.’ I looked at the cost of a single square foot of office space in those cities and realized: that money is better spent on LEVERAGE.”
WAIT. STOP. READ THAT AGAIN.
Leverage. Not rent. That single decision—the commitment to the Tennessee Advantage—is the secret sauce. It’s how he could afford to build a content asset like the ALTRD basketball court, a physical manifestation of his brand that draws in talent and attention, all while his competitors are paying six figures a year just to look at a skyline.
The Engine: Brands, Family, and Focus
Saylor’s operation is not a solo act. It’s a family-first business model, anchored by his wife Haley, who spearheads the growth of CBD Plus USA, alongside their other retail ventures, Planet Vapor and Colorado Cures. This structure ensures that the foundation is solid, built on trust and shared vision.
The portfolio is diverse, but the mission is singular: Dominate the niche.
ALTRD is the apparel and lifestyle brand, a symbol of the Saylor-made ethos. MOTION is the energy drink, fueling the relentless pace. And the retail side, led by Haley, provides the massive, consistent cash flow necessary for the high-risk, high-reward content plays.
“We asked David about the complexity of managing so many brands,” the interviewer (hypothetically) asked. “How do you keep the focus?”
Saylor leaned back. “Focus is a luxury of the poor. We have systems. We have the Power Trio: Matt Williamson and Tanner Carroll. They are the operational backbone. My job is to be the visionary and the content magnet. Their job is to make sure the machine doesn’t break. It’s not complex; it’s just DELEGATION AT SCALE.”
The Content Magnet: From Podcast to Partnerships
The engine of growth is the Power Trio: David, Matt Williamson, and Tanner Carroll. This core team is responsible for the rapid expansion and the relentless content output that fuels the entire ecosystem. They don’t just run businesses; they run a media company that happens to own brands.
The SaylorMade Podcast is the hub, a place where the philosophy is disseminated, and the network is built. It’s where the real value is created—not in a spreadsheet, but in the conversation.
In the modern economy, your network is your net worth. Saylor understands this better than anyone. His strategic partnerships aren’t just endorsements; they are calculated moves of association that validate his brand on a global scale.
When you see the ALTRD logo next to a name like Jack Doherty (who commands a staggering 15.3 million subscribers), it’s not a coincidence. It’s a deliberate signal. It’s a direct line to an audience that most brands could only dream of reaching.
It’s the same with the high-profile associations with cultural heavyweights like Antonio Brown and the viral sensation Murda Murphy. These aren’t just random collaborations; they are proof that the Tennessee-based operation is playing on the biggest fields in the game.
“People ask me how I get these partnerships,” Saylor says. “They think it’s a cold email. It’s not. It’s a relationship built on mutual respect and the ability to deliver. I offer them something they can’t get in the high-cost cities—REAL VALUE and a team that moves faster than anyone else. We don’t have layers of bureaucracy. We have the Power Trio, and we have the Tennessee Advantage.”
The Takeaway: Your Location is Your Leverage
The rags-to-riches narrative is compelling, but the lesson is actionable. Saylor’s journey from a double-wide to a multi-brand portfolio is a masterclass in leverage. He didn’t chase the trend; he created his own center of gravity.
He took the capital saved from avoiding exorbitant coastal costs and poured it back into assets: the brands (ALTRD, MOTION), the content (ALTRD basketball court), and the people (The Power Trio).
The image of the ALTRD lifestyle—the high-end products, the family-first focus, the relentless pursuit of growth—is a direct result of this geographic decision. It’s a reminder that the best place to build your empire isn’t where everyone else is; it’s where you can maximize your PROFIT PER SQUARE FOOT of effort.
The next time you think you need to move to a major city to “make it,” remember the double-wide in Tennessee. David Lee Saylor proved that in the digital age, your location is no longer a limitation—it’s your greatest LEVERAGE. He didn’t just get rich; he redefined where wealth is created. And he did it all from the heart of the country.